Tony says: The shoulder and arms is a glamor routine, it’s the glamor muscles, it’s what’s exposed when you where a tank top. Twenty five years ago you would see me in a tank top; I started developing my arms, I started wearing it. There’s a lot going on, there’s a lot of stuff, and we repeat and we go quick and there’s one after another and there’s a big calorie burn. The shoulder is the link to everything else, it’s the link to chest and back, it’s the link to your arms, it’s an important part of your body to work on.

Overview: This is definitely one of the most fun of the P90X workout. If you’re a guy, you’re going to want to beef up your biceps, get some serious definition on your triceps, and bulk up your shoulders to give you width. If you’re a girl, this workout will help you tone and define, will help you firm up and burn away any wobbliness you might be carrying. As such, I always jump into this one with gusto, knowing that while it’s a tough workout it won’t leave me devastated on the floor like Plyometrics will, leaving me instead with a fantastic pump that will really motivate you.

The workout is simple. There are five sets, and you repeat each one twice. You cycle through an exercise for each part of your arm and your shoulders, so that you are constantly moving from bicep, to tricep, to shoulder. That way you have time to rest and recover, and still exert yourself to the max. The exercises are a fun variation, with the tricep exercises being the most varied.

So enjoy!

Tip of the Day: Don’t hold your breath. Be aware of your breathing through, and don’t lock up and strain. Always breath smoothly and calmly, and use your rate of breath as a gauge for how hard you’re working.

The Workout:

Warm Up

The warm ups in P90X are for the most part identical in each workout, so you will quickly become familiar with this routine. This one is 9 minutes long and starts off with high knees, jogging on the spot, wide knees, heels to your butt. Then transition into jumping jacks and running lunges, and you’re done with the warm up.

From there he moves into a stretching section, where he begins with a series of head rolls, arms extended to the ground, working it from side to side. Roll the shoulders back, and then roll them forward. Bring your hands together before you, and stretch out your shoulders. Then lock your hands behind your back, and roll your shoulders back. A series of pec stretches, followed by arm circles, moving in both directions and in both tight and wide circles. Follow that up with some ballistic stretches, from huggers to arm shakers, back strokes and reachers.

Finish off with some arm stretches, bringing each arm across your chest to stretch out your shoulders,and then pull your hand behind your head to stretch out your triceps.

Workout
Set One

Alternating Shoulder Press [50 sec]: Stand straight, free weights held at shoulder height, palms to the front, and alternate extending each arm directly over head.

In and Out Bicep Curls [45 sec]: Simple. Do 16 reps of bicep curls, palms facing the front, lifting both dumbbells at the same time. Back straight, and don’t rock. The second curl is out wide, and go alternating the lift from directly infront to out to the side.

Two Arm Tricep Kickbacks [34 sec]: Bend over, flat back, and extend your arms back with the weights before lowering them down once more.

Ballistic Stretch [30 sec]

Set Two

Deep Swimmer’s Press [55 sec]: Stand straight, elbows locked against ribs, forearms extended horizontally, weights held. Lift weights to shoulder, then do a shoulder press, then lower back down.

Full Supination Concentration Curls [57 sec]: These are basic bicep curls, one at a time, but each time you reach the top, squeeze your bicep for an extra pulse.

Chair Dips [45 sec]: Place your hands behind you on a chair, and lower down into a dip. The further your feet are away from your body, the harder the workout.

Ballistic Stretch [30 sec]

Set Three

Upright Rows [44 sec]: Stand straight, weights by your side, and then draw them up before you, elbows flaring up and out to the side so that the weights stop just below your chin.

Static Arm Curls [1:05 sec]: Do four reps with one arm while the other holds the weight out before you, elbow locked into your side. On the fourth rep, lower that arm and lock the other in place.

Flip Grip Twist Kickback [48 sec]: Bend over, flat back, and hold the weighs below you with elbows locked into your side. Extend arms back, and each time change your hands so one time palms go back first, the second the back of your hands go back first.

Ballistic Stretch [34 sec]

Set Four

Seated Shoulder Flies [54 sec]: Sit down on a chair, lean over, back straight. Hold your weights down by your sides, and then lift them, elbows crooked to 90 degrees so that you pinch your shoulder blades together.

Crouching Cohen Curls [1:13 sec]: Crouch down, and lock your elbows into the inside of your knees. Do curls with your knees locking your elbows in place, so that in effect you are doing an isolation curl.

Lying Down Tricep Extensions [44 sec]: Lie down flat on your back, soles of your feet on the ground, and place the weights beyond your head. Lift them straight into the air, and then lower then back down to the ground, enaging your triceps to the max.

Ballistic Stretch [38 sec]

Set Five

Straight Arm Shoulder Flys [42 sec]: Stand straight, and then raise your arms directly before you. Lower them, and then raise them out to the sides.

Congdon Curls [57 sec]: Do a bicep curl, both at the same time, and then, when the weights reach the top, turn the weights so that they’re being held vertically, and lower them. Turn them horizontally at the bottom, and raise again.

Side Tri-Rise [57 sec]: Lie down flat on the ground, place the hand whose shoulder is touching the ground on the upper shoulder, and use the other hand to push off the ground, getting a tricep burn with each extension. Legs should be straight and at 30 degrees from the body, and you should aim to lift your torso from the ground.

Cool Down

Four minute cool down, which consists of jogging on the spot for awhile, some ballistic arm swings, pretending to jump rope, some reachers and pot stirrers. The goal is to keep you moving as you cool down. And with that, you’re done with one of the most fun of the P90X workouts!

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